Drive shaft couplings

ABSTRACT

A device for coupling together coaxial parts or sections of a drive shaft, which parts are arranged in series, the coupling device including a sleeve containing a resilient or compressible ring. One of the shaft sections, in one embodiment of the invention, has a shaft that extends through the resilient ring. A second shaft section has a tubular end portion that fits over one end of the sleeve and is attached to the sleeve by means of screws. The resilient ring permits a slight axial movement of the sleeve when the assembly or separation of the shaft sections is required, while also taking up any small linear deviations that may arise between the two coupled shaft sections.

United States Patent Gustavson et al.

[ 5] Mar. 7, 1972 [54] DRIVE SHAFT COUPLINGS FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS [72] Inventors: Lars-Goran Gustavsou, Linnevagen 37,963,868 7/ I964 Great Britain ..64/l

Aby; Per-Erik Lindqvist, Stjemeldsvagen P g, both of Sweden PrimaryExaminer-Kenneth W. Sprague' p 1, Attorney-Muns0n & Flddlel' 1 pp 24,518[57] ABSTRACT A device for coupling together coaxial parts or sectionsof a U-S- 64/11 R, drive haft pans are in eries the coupling [5 lnt. d ie i l ding a l e e ontaining a re ilient or compressi- [58] Field 0!Search ..64/l, 4, 6, l I, 31, 23; ble o f the shaft sections in oneembodiment of the 287/ 1 l9 invention, has a shaft that extends throughthe resilient ring. A f second shaft section has a tubular end portionthat fits over [56] Re new cued one end of the sleeve and is attached tothe sleeve by means of UNITED STATES PATENTS screws. The resilient ringpennits a slight axial movement of the sleeve when the assembly orseparation of the shaft sec- Garmer (ions is required also taking up anymall linear dgvia. 2,468,182 4/ l 949 D mp ey 64/1 tions that may arisebetween the two coupled shaft sections. 2,556,380 6/1951 Stillwagon, Jr......64/l 2,567,127 9/1951 Shofiner ..64/1 6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 75 4 7 7 7 7 7 7 1 F 8 l 3 I I I PAIENTEUMAR 7 I972 SHEET 2 BF 2 mas-commGUSTAIEEHN I 0R3 and PER-ERIK LINDQVIS'I m m t MUNSON & FIDDLERAttorneys DRIVE SHAFT COUPLlNGS The present invention relates to adevice adapted for coupling together coaxial shaft sections or partsthat are arranged in series relationship, and which is so constructedthat in addition to transmitting torque between the shaft sections andallowing a small angle between the center axes of said shaft sections,it can also be easily dismantled. That is to say, a shaft section canreadily be assembled in position or dismantled without it beingnecessary to remove the adjacent shaft sections.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein illustrative embodiments of theinvention are disclosed,

FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal section through a coupling constructed inaccordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the same coupling.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through a modified embodimentand FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the arrangement of FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2thereof, there is shown therein a shaft section 1 provided with acentrally arranged pin 2 which projects axially of the shaft section andon which is mounted a suitably slotted conical sleeve 3, against one endof which is a bearing 5 constituting a part of a ball bearing race race4. Pressed onto the sleeve is a resilient or elastic element or ring 6which is also pressed into a coupling sleeve 7. The ring 6 is heldtensioned to the sleeve 3 by means of a nut 8.

Because of the conical shape of the sleeve 3, a tensioning effect isobtained and which causes the resilient element or ring 6 to be wedgedfast on the sleeve 3. Hence an arrangement is provided whereby thetorque from the shaft section 1 can be transmitted to the sleeve 7. Thesleeve 7 is provided at its other end with two axially projecting lugs 9and 10 which are provided with holes for receiving screws 11 and 12. Thesleeve 7 is adapted to be connected to a tubular shaft section 13, whichis provided with a slot 14 of such size and configuration that the lugs9, 10 can be passed radially through it. The slot 14 is normally coveredby means of a plate which is locked to the sleeve 7 by means ofa screw16.

The sleeve 7 is provided at one end with a machined guide edge 17 onwhich the shaft section 13 rests, to transmit transverse forces togetherwith the lugs 9 and 10. The shaft section 13 is in this way fixed to thesleeve 7. The movement is transmitted through the screws 11 and 12.

The separated parts of the coupling, shown in FIG. 2 are assembled inthe following manner.

The shaft section 13 is placed adjacent to the coupling sleeve 7 so thatthe slot 14 registers with the lugs 9 and 10. The coupling is then movedaxially to an extent which causes the edge of the tubular portion 13 topass free of the guide edge 17. This is made possible because of thecompressibility of the elastic element or ring 6. The shaft section 13is then moved radially in over the coupling, so that the two lugs 9 and10 come completely inside of the shaft section 13, whereupon the shaftsection is turned through 90 to position the screw holes in the lugs forthe screws 11 and 12 opposite to the holes provided in the shaft section13. The coupling is then allowed to return axially so that the shaftsection bears against the guide edge 17, permitting the screws 11 and 12to be screwed into position to thereby connect shaft section 13 to thesleeve 7. Finally, the slot 14 is covered with the plate 15, which isfastened by means of the screw 16.

With the modified embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the torque istransmitted from the shaft section 1, through the elastic element 6, tothe pin 2 by means of a stop screw 20.

The shaft section 13 has a bore 21 whose diameter is slightly largerthan that of the pin 2. The pin 2 projects slightly from the ring 19into the bore 21, so that a small overlap is obtained. In this way aguide is obtained at 22.

When assembling the component parts, the shaft section 13, which at isother end has a similar elastic coupling, is moved slightly to theright, whereupon the shaft section can be passed over the pin 2 and theguiding effect at 22 is obtained. A centering of the arts is therebyobtained.

The rmg 9 has an arcuate segmental portion 23, which enables the shaftsection 13 to be radially removed or inserted. The portion 23 is removedon assembly and is replaced in position and secured to respective partsby the screws 24 and 25 which transfer the torque from the coupling tothe shaft section 13 when the shaft section has been mounted inposition. The reference numeral 26 indicates a spacing ring.

Because of the elastic or resilient insert employed in the coupling,permitting the coupling sleeve to have limited axial movement relativelyto one of the shaft sections when required, the separation of the lattershaft section from another shaft section is easily and effectivelyattained. In addition, any slight linear deviation axially between theshaft sections is taken up by means of said elastic insert.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for coupling together two coaxial drive shaft sectionscomprising, a first shaft section having an extended centrally arrangedaxially extending pin, a conical sleeve fitted around the pin, acoupling sleeve containing a resilient and compressible annulus, the pinand its conical sleeve extending through the resilient annulus, a secondshaft section having an end fitted around the coupling sleeve, saidcoupling sleeve being capable of a limited axial movement relatively tothe first shaft section by reason of the compressibility of theresilient annulus, and means by which the second shaft section and thecoupling sleeve are secured together.

2. A device for coupling together a series of coaxial drive shaftsections comprising, a first shaft section having an extended centrallyarranged axially extending pin, a coupling sleeve including elastictorque-transmitting means, the pin extending through said elastictorque-transmitting means, a second shaft section having an end fittedaround said coupling sleeve, the coupling sleeve having limited axialmovement relatively to the first shaft section by reason of thecompressibility of the resilient torque-transmitting means, and means bywhich the second shaft section and the coupling sleeve are securedtogether.

3. A device according to claim 2 having a sleeve fitted around the pinand extending through said elastic torquetransmitting means.

4. A device according to claim 2 in which said sleeve is conical.

5. A device according to claim 2 including a support bearing, said pinextending through said support bearing and being supported thereby.

6. A device according to claim 2 in which said coupling sleeve includesan axially extending guide edge and two diametrically opposed axiallyprojecting apertured lugs, the second shaft section having a recessadapted to receive said lugs to guide said shaft section slidably onsaid guide edge, said second shaft section having openings adapted foralignment with the apertures on the lugs, said coupling sleeve and saidsecond shaftsection being rotatable with respect to one another to alignsaid openings and said apertures for insertion thereinto of lockingmeans to maintain connection between said shaft section and saidcoupling sleeve.

2. A device for coupling together a series of coaxial drive shaftsections comprising, a first shaft section having an extended centrallyarranged axially extending pin, a coupling sleeve including elastictorque-transmitting means, the pin extending through said elastictorque-transmitting means, a second shaft section having an end fittedaround said coupling sleeve, the coupling sleeve having limited axialmovement relatively to the first shaft section by reason of thecompressibility of the resilient torque-transmitting means, and means bywhich the second shaft section and the coupling sleeve are securedtogether.
 3. A device according to claim 2 having a sleeve fitted aroundthe pin and extending through said elastic torque-transmitting means. 4.A device according to claim 2 in which said sleeve is conical.
 5. Adevice according to claim 2 including a support bearing, said pinextending through said support bearing and being supported thereby.
 6. Adevice according to claim 2 in which said coupling sleeve includes anaxially extending guide edge and two diametrically opposed axiallyprojecting apertured lugs, the second shaft section having a recessadapted to receive said lugs to guide said shaft section slidably onsaid guide edge, said second shaft section having openings adapted foralignment with the apertures on the lugs, said coupling sleeve and saidsecond shaft section being rotatable with respect to one another toalign said openings and said apertures for insertion thereinto oflocking means to maintain connection between said shaft section and saidcoupling sleeve.